Young table tennis team look to surprise again at Asian Games

SINGAPORE – The Singapore Table Tennis Association’s proud run of winning a medal at every Asian Games since the turn of the millennium will be put to a stern test, as it continues to transition from China-born players to home-grown talents.

At STTA’s media day at its Toa Payoh headquarters on Friday, it unveiled its Hangzhou Asian Games squad: Clarence Chew, Koen Pang, Izaac Quek, Beh Kun Ting and Lucas Tan (men), Zeng Jian, Goi Rui Xuan, Wong Xin Ru, Zhou Jingyi and Ser Lin Qian (women).

Tan replaces Ethan Poh, the only change to the team that regained Asean dominance when they won four out of seven golds at the Cambodia SEA Games in May.

The squad have an average age of 21.5. Chew, 27, is the only member with Asiad experience having played in Incheon, South Korea in 2014, while Zeng, 26, is the sole China-born player.

While STTA president Poh Li San is “optimistic” about continuing the fine streak, she did not set a medal target. She said: “The upcoming challenge is not easy, as we are set to compete against the best from Asia. However, I am optimistic about our chances, and I have complete confidence that our paddlers will strive to do their best for Singapore.”

The Republic won its first Asiad table tennis medal in Jakarta in 1962 – a men’s team bronze from Lim Wai Sheng, Lim Jin Choon, Goh Soo Nam and Sim Poh Lin.

Singapore had to wait 40 years for its next Asiad table tennis medal, with Li Jiawei, Jing Junhong, Zhang Xueling and Tan Paey Fern winning a women’s team bronze before Li added a women’s singles bronze in South Korea.

In all, the sport has contributed two Asiad silvers and nine bronzes, with Yu Mengyu claiming a women’s singles bronze in 2018.

With world-class opponents from hosts China, Japan, South Korea and Chinese Taipei in the mix, another medal looks to be a tall order, but the Singaporeans are up for the challenge.

Zeng, who won a breakthrough SEA Games women’s singles gold in May, said that they need to “take the game to the stronger players”.

She added: “I didn’t expect to be the SEA Games women’s singles champion, but I fought hard and accomplished it. I will take the same mentality to the Asiad.”

Quek, who won the SEA Games men’s singles, doubles and team gold, is also adopting an underdog mentality and taking inspiration from Yu and Iran’s Noshad Alamiyan. They won the women’s and men’s singles bronze in 2018 despite being ranked 47th and 94th in the world respectively then.

The 17-year-old said: “Such results motivate me and show that a podium finish is possible.”

The national players have a packed schedule ahead of the Sept 23-Oct 8 Asiad. They had just completed a one-month training camp in Taiwan and will fly to the Czech Republic on Sunday to play in the Aug 22-27 WTT Feeder Olomouc.

They will then compete in the Sept 3-10 Asian Championships in Pyeongchang, and remain in South Korea for a one-week training camp with the Hangchon Academy in Daejeon until Sept 18 before heading to China.

National women’s team coach Jing Junhong said: “I won’t talk about medals but I feel we are on the up... For a team comprising debutantes, I hope they can play with no fear and create some upsets to instil more confidence in their development trajectory.”

National men’s team coach Gao Ning added: “It will be a good learning experience for our young team and I want them to play to their potential and produce some exciting matches and surprises.”